This invention relates to a slow motion replay system for replaying picture data stored in a video server, particularly relates to a slow motion replay system for replaying the picture data according to demand from a replay terminal which is distant from the video server.
A type of replay system has a video server and a replay terminal, which are connected to each other by a transmission line. The video server reads out picture data which has a frame from a memory medium according to demand from the replay terminal and supplies the read out data to the replay terminal through the transmission line. The replay terminal decodes the read out data into decoded data and displays the moving picture on a display in response to the decoded data.
Slow motion replay can be carried out by the replay system. Usually, the video server adds null data to the read out data to realize the slow motion replay. Such a slow motion replay system is disclosed in a Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (JP-A) No. 7-170485.
The replay system has a fault that it has a complicated structure. This is because the replay system must judge whether the picture data are valid or not for every bit (or byte) at real time.
If the replay system forms slow motion replay data previously, it becomes simple in structure. However, the replay system needs a large memory for the slow motion replay data in this case.
In addition, the replay system has another fault that it must control a flow of the picture data between the video server and the replay terminal.